This is the sixth consecutive year that the firm has received this accolade. The firm was also named, for the first time, a recommended firm for pro bono.
Reed Smith is one of only a handful of law firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong to cover the full range of shipping work, from litigation (both dry and wet) to ship finance, advisory work and shipping related corporate finance and M&A work.
In addition to handling traditional shipping work, the practice covers the full range of related, key industry sectors, such as equipment financing, commodities, offshore construction, and energy and natural resources.
China Business Law Journal noted that Reed Smith recently had assisted China Merchants Energy Shipping with a joint venture to construct and charter eight 175,000 CBM LNG carriers. In addition, the firm provided guidance to Sinopec throughout the process of securing long-term LNG tanker charters with major industry players, involving intricate, cross-border projects. In litigation, Reed Smith achieved “a groundbreaking ruling in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal for Perusahaan Perseroan (Persero) PT Pertamina in a collision case with Trevaskis, significantly impacting global maritime law.” The publication also noted that Reed Smith’s multi-year collaboration with COSCO on “intricate shipping financing further highlights its proficiency in managing sophisticated international financial deals.”
The firm’s market-leading China shipping practice, which includes lawyers across the firm’s Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing offices, is led by partners Lianjun Li and Peter Lee.
Regarding the pro bono recognition, Reed Smith’s Asia-based lawyers provided more than 1,000 hours of pro bono services.
The publication highlighted Reed Smith’s collaboration with international non-profit Justice Without Borders in Hong Kong, assisting migrant domestic workers with legal issues related to labour exploitation and human trafficking. It also highlighted the firm’s partnership with International Bridges to Justice to compile a lengthy criminal defence manual for Southeast Asia, aiding defence lawyers in protecting vulnerable defendants; and its contribution of regulatory insights on business entry, location and financial services in Hong Kong for the World Bank Group’s Business Ready 2024 Report, in support of the World Bank Group’s dual goals of poverty elimination and shared prosperity.
The award winners were chosen by a panel of judges taking into account additional feedback from a wide range of corporate executives, in-house counsel and senior practitioners. More details on the awards can be found on the publication’s website.
Earlier this year, three deals that Reed Smith advised on were featured by China Business Law Journal as Deals of the Year. The deals covered a wide spread of equity capital markets, corporate and cross-border dispute resolution matters.